Spokane Produce

April 10, 2024

Market News

A cold low-pressure system generated from the Gulf of Alaska moves
into California Friday with light to moderate rain expected across the
state. Overall precipitation is forecast to be between ¼” - ¾” into
Sunday. This system will also bring very strong winds of 20-35mph
throughout California and the Southwestern Desert regions. This looks
to be the last winter type storm system of the season.
Growers in the Southwestern Desert region will quickly wrap up
production this week with limited supplies next week. Quality remains
generally fairly good as growers trim out defects. However, insect
pressure continues to be a problem in these late fields. These late
season supplies will also continue to show some premature pinking
along the ribs not seen during harvest and tends to show up during
storage.
The timing of this latest system will not help growers as they continue
the transition from the desert regions to the coastal valleys (Oxnard,
Santa Maria, Salinas) of California. Crops in these coastal valleys were
planted back in January and have seen substantial rain and cool
temperatures throughout the growth cycle impacting growth rates. The
leafy green fields, planted back in January, have also seen fluctuating
temperatures throughout the growth cycle. Temperature variations can
lead to physiological changes in lettuce plants and disrupt the
developmental process impacting quality and shelf life. Early
production is showing generally good quality with smaller head sizes
and density contributing to lighter carton weights. Romaine and
Romaine heart stands are showing darker outer leaves with little heart
material currently. These leaves are prone to bruising and mechanical
damage especially when processed. Some mildew stain and fringe or
tip burn are also being reported in these early harvests. Planted
acreage is consistent with historical averages with rains causing some
planting gaps with various shippers, however no major supply
shortages are expected.
Processed items will likely see an increase in bruising, discoloration and
breakdown showing up in the bag affecting quality and shelf life. It
remains very important to keep your rotations in check as the overall
quality and shelf life of most crops, especially processed items, will be
challenged.

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